Tingena affinis

This species was described by Alfred Philpott in 1926 using specimens collected in Nelson in December and at Dun Mountain in January.^[3] Philpott originally named the species Borkhausenia affinis.^[3] Philpott illustrated the male genitalia of this species but this illustration is virtually identical to his illustration of the male genitalia of the species now known as Tingena xanthomicta.^[3][2] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name B. affinis in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.^[4] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Tingena.^[2] The male holotype specimen, collected in Nelson, is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.^[2]

Philpott described the species as follows:

♂. 13–14 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax bronzy-brown mixed with grey. Antennae brown, narrowly annulated with ochreous, ciliations in male ¾. Abdomen bronzy-brown. Legs brown mixed with grey. Forewings elongate, narrow, not posteriorly dilated, costa slightly arched, sinuate at middle, apex pointed, termen extremely oblique; bronzy-brown; space below fold from near base almost to tornus occupied by a clear yellow stripe; a few yellow scales indicating post-median and pre-apical fasciae: fringes grey with scattered fuscous and yellow points. Hindwings broadly lanceolate; bronzy-fuscous: fringes fuscous with darker basal shade. Belongs to the siderodeta group; the practical absence of fasciae and the dorsal yellow stripe are good distinguishing characters. Nelson in December, and Dun Mountain in January. A single male from each locality.^[3]

This species is endemic to New Zealand.^[1] It has been found in the Nelson region.^[3]

Adults of this species are on the wing in December and January.^[3][4]